I could have kissed my good friend Emily when she miraculously found the answer to Chloe's recent dip in appetite. All toddlers have fussy phases I know, but when your little one refuses dinner yet wakes you up at 3 a.m. telling you she's hungry, it's hard to wait it out. It's also hard not to give in as it's surely every mother's instinct to feed their hungry child especially when they look up at you with puppy dog eyes and a wobbly bottom lip. Nevertheless Chloe and I have had some long conversations about why it's important to eat dinner and why mummy doesn't like getting up at three in the morning (which is putting it mildly).

Fortunately then, Emily was around during the most recent bout of "no please dinner!", when Chloe would much rather have been driving a toddler quad bike through the kitchen. I'd asked Emily to rummage around in the fridge for ketchup to see if that would help the tortellini go down but she came up empty handed. Ever one for alternative solutions however, she came back to the table with a bowl of mango chutney. Very amusing I said, I can tell you don't have kids I said… until Chloe in a moment of culinary curiosity, started dipping the pasta in the chutney and ate every single bite. That night, she slept like an angel.

Now, as tempting as it may be, I'm not sure that I would recommend mango chutney for a toddler on a regular basis it's fairly high in sugar and vinegar so might as well say "diaper rash" on the bottle. But this has inspired me to see if I can come up with my own, more baby-friendly version as having a fridge full of options that tackle fussy-eating makes me feel practically warm and fuzzy inside.

It also got me thinking about mangoes in general, which I often forget about as I'm usually so obsessed with berries. But whilst berries are certainly powerhouses when it comes to antioxidant content, mangoes are super-nutritious too rich in beta-carotene and minerals such as magnesium.

This week, as I found some perfectly ripe mangoes in the grocery store, I bought a couple so we could make smoothies. Thoroughly bored of all the wind and rain, I am now ignoring the worst winter I've experienced in Bermuda and am making tropical drinks at home. And if you too would like to pretend that summer has arrived, I suggest you try out this recipe below. It takes seconds to make but is sweet, creamy and indulgent. Pump up the heating, pull on your swimsuit, whack this in the blender and then lie on the sofa and pretend you are on the beach. Bliss!

Mango-coconut smoothie

Serves 2

• 2 ripe mangoes (peeled and pitted or frozen equivalent is ok if you can't find fresh)

• 1 dessert spoon coconut milk

• ½ tsp vanilla essence

• 1 tsp lime juice

• 5 tbsp organic natural (plain) yoghurt - soy or dairy

• 6 tbsp pineapple juice

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz till smooth and frothy. Bear in mind that even though fruit is healthy, it's naturally high in sugar. So keep your servings small and drink water as the norm to quench your thirst, rather than juices.

n The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda@gmail.com